Our very existence was illegal until May 22nd, 1967. Crimes committed against LGBT were not considered "hate crimes" until October 28th, 2009. Denial of our service in the military didn't end until the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell on September 20th, 2011. Not until June 26th, 2015 were we granted the basic human right of recognized marriage.

We've come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. Today, in twenty-eight states, there is no legislation to protect against the discrimination of LGBT individuals. We can be fired. Refused service. Harassed. All without recourse. Pride is how we stand up for ourselves.

Pride is more than a celebration, it’s a statement. Not a gay one, but a human one. Pride is a reminder we are here, we're not going anywhere, and we matter.